Skyline High School grad offers hip-hop designs on homegrown label, Rawburry
April 26, 2011
The dueling T-shirt designs featuring University of Washington Huskies and Washington State University Cougars say a lot about the philosophy at Rawburry, a streetwise clothing label.
Rob Tramonte, a graduate of Skyline High School, sports one of his designer T-shirts from his Rawburry fashion line. Contributed
Rob Tramonte started turning out designs for streetwear as a Skyline High School student and a standout on the Spartans’ football team. Nowadays, as a student at Idaho State University in Pocatello, the longtime Issaquah resident and a team of friends continue to offer threads dripping in moxie and hip-hop sensibility.
The team T-shirts came about after students from both schools beseeched Rawburry to create something for fans.
The experience resembled the early days of the label, after Tramonte and a football teammate, Joey Evans, started talking about the next step.
“After we talked for a while about the business plan and the future of Rawburry, we thought it would be really cool to get some shirts printed with our original designs and try to sell them to our friends,” Tramonte recalled. “Soon enough, the buzz for Rawburry spread all throughout Skyline. We knew we had something special going on.”
Tramonte recently discussed inspirations, designing for fans and the meaning behind the name Rawburry.
Dine out for a cause April 28
April 26, 2011
Order a pizza at Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria, 715 N.W. Gilman Blvd., and raise funds for AIDS research at the same time April 28.
The restaurant is participating in the nationwide event Dining Out for Life. A percentage of all proceeds benefits Lifelong AIDS Alliance and the fight against hunger. The event is expected to raise $4 million to support regional HIV/AIDS service organizations across the United States.
Find other participating restaurants at www.diningoutforlife.com.
Who’s News
April 26, 2011
Issaquah students receive garden club grants
The East Lake Washington District of Garden Clubs recently awarded more than $3,000 to local classrooms or horticulture and environmental studies.
Receiving the local grants were:
The Tiger Mountain Community High School students of teacher Mitra Kundu (about 100 alternative students and 21 developmentally disabled students served by A.C.T.) received $400 for adding raised beds to their growing area that includes a small green house.
The Grand Ridge Elementary School students of teacher Rebecca Rappin asked for funds to obtain more equipment for composting additional cafeteria food waste for making soil amendments to use in their vegetable and flower beds.
Girls, 11 and 12, could face cyberstalking charges
April 26, 2011
Explicit Facebook posts could land a pair of Issaquah girls, ages 11 and 12, in court, the Issaquah Police Department announced late last week.
The police department responded to a report of harassment March 18 from the mother of another girl, a 12-year-old Issaquah Middle School student. The mother said someone had accessed her daughter’s Facebook page and posted sexually explicit photos and messages.
In referring the case to King County Juvenile Court, investigators recommended cyberstalking and second-degree computer trespass charges.
Issaquah Police Cmdr. Stan Conrad said the agency could not release additional information about the investigation.
Opera aficionado hits high notes with audiences
April 26, 2011
Think opera is kind of ho-hum? If so, perhaps you’ve never experienced Norm Hollingshead’s take on it. The retired middle school teacher has been giving opera previews locally for nearly 35 years, and he’s converted many a skeptic.
Norm Hollingshead holds his copy of the novel ‘Don Quixote’ during a preview of Massenet's opera ‘Don Quixote’ at the Mercer Island Library on Feb. 25. By Allison Int-Hout
“We would crawl over broken glass to go to one of his previews,” season-ticket holder Kristin von Kreisler said of herself and her husband John Bomben.
The Mercer Island Library hosted nearly 40 people Feb. 25 as Hollingshead made one of his final stops during a series in the Seattle-area library system. He delivered the 12th of 14 scheduled lectures in preparation for the Seattle Opera’s upcoming performance of Jules Massenet’s “Don Quixote.”
Two regulars at Hollingshead’s opera previews are Bob and Coleen George, of Sammamish, who were in attendance at his lecture at the Mercer Island Library and said they rarely miss one of his previews. They usually go to the Issaquah Library for Hollingshead’s previews, but snow prevented them from going there the last time it was scheduled.
“He does an excellent job,” Bob George said. “He’s almost more entertaining than the opera itself.”
The Hot List
April 26, 2011
Movie: ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’
By Rachel Osgood
While Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightley) and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) have concluded their adventures aboard the Black Pearl, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) return in this new addition to the saga. The two are joined by Angelica (Penelope Cruz), a mysterious figure from Jack’s past, in the quest for the legendary fountain of youth.
Book: ‘The Dressmaker of Khair Khana’
by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Under the brutal regulations of the Taliban, the women of Afghanistan were reduced to mere pieces of fabric, forced to view the world from behind a shroud. “The Dressmaker of Khair Khana” illustrates the struggle and triumph of the Afghani women who fought to be restored to visibility. Kamela Sediqi, a 15-year-old girl, and her four younger sisters and brother were left to fend for themselves after their parents had to flee north. To support her family, Kamela risks her security as she attempts a business as a seamstress. This novel is unique in that it calls attention to the generally ignored heroic actions of women whose everyday lives are a fight for survival.
Album: ‘Songs for Japan’
Following the tsunami and earthquakes that struck Japan, “Songs for Japan” was released to raise funds for disaster relief. Featuring 38 hits by artists like icon John Lennon to pop’s Justin Bieber, the album is already No. 1 on the charts in 18 countries. All proceeds go to the Japanese Red Cross Society.
Issaquah Rotary Club honors top students
April 26, 2011
The Rotary Club of Issaquah recently honored the following seniors as its students of the month for March.
Forrest Hurley
Forrest Hurley
-School: Liberty High School
-Category of recognition: physical education
-Parent: Jennene Hurley
-Sponsoring teacher: Emily Corley
-Achievements: lacrosse team captain (two years); varsity athletic letters (track, football)
-Activities: FCA president, Link Crew, Associated Student Body Spirit director
-Interests: history, aviation
-Hobbies: lacrosse, pole vault, snowboarding, football
-Future goals: undecided about educational goals; become a pilot
Teen Talk
April 26, 2011
What do you think of the 3-D experience?
Issaquah High School
“It brings the movie to a whole new level. It’s a completely different and better experience.”
— John Abercrombie, sophomore
“Stupid, unnecessary and needs to be improved.”
— Alli Gillett, junior
Eastside Catholic High School
“I don’t like 3-D movies so much. They’re really overproduced now. Except ‘Toy Story 3’ is good.”
— Stephanie Matusiefsky, senior
“3D movies are awkward. They’re just awkward.”
— Madeline Kusters, freshman
Liberty High School
“I dislike 3-D because it gives you headaches, is pointless, and it costs you more no matter what.”
— Alex Paradis, senior
“It really depends on the content of what you’re watching. It works really well with some material, but for others it would be better just to do without it.”
— Lexi McGinnis, junior
Skyline High School
“I think it’s overdone. It’s just overhyped due to the initial success of films like ‘Avatar’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ Plus, slapping 3-D onto films just for higher ticket prices is just pitiful.”
— Alan Yu, senior
“With the new 4-D experiences that are reaching American markets, 3-D may become irrelevant and play a backseat in the next five to 10 years. That’s what I am really looking forward to.”
— Jordan Beeks, senior
Police investigate break-ins at Northwest Gilman Boulevard businesses
April 26, 2011
Police said a burglar or burglars broke into businesses along Northwest Gilman Boulevard at about the same time April 5.
The incidents occurred before 9:12 a.m., the time police received the initial call from Wattsalpoag Games. The culprit or culprits also broke into Achill Consulting, GreenHealth Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine Clinic, and the Thomas K. Atwood law office — all business in the 1500 block of Northwest Gilman Boulevard.
The intruder or intruders entered the building through a shared hallway and then cut through drywall to enter the businesses. The estimated loss at each of the businesses is unknown.
To the Editor
April 26, 2011
DownTown Issaquah Association
City needs to ensure organization’s operations are more transparent
One can only wonder at the backroom politics behind the abrupt dismissal of Greg Spranger as head of the DownTown Issaquah Association.
Greg’s value as the leader of historical preservation and restoration of vintage downtown Issaquah is unmatched. No other individual has contributed more in terms of authentic preservation and restoration activities to the core of the city — or probably any other Washington city — than Greg. His loss to continued efforts in this regard is difficult to assimilate.
His partner in much of this work, Michael Johnson, has also resigned from the association. The loss of these two to the soul of Issaquah is immeasurable. Perhaps one day the real story of this contrived dismissal will be revealed. In the meantime, we are left — reluctantly — with the premature obligation to adequately recognize these two for their untiring efforts to preserve the city’s heritage and make it a better place for the rest of us.
Hopefully, both of them will find ways in less-political arenas to continue their innovative work to foster Issaquah as a city focused on the value of its historical past, as it moves forward with intelligent and sensitive growth.
Like others, I, too, have tendered my resignation to the DownTown Issaquah Association; the city needs a more transparent organization more clearly aligned with historical values and altruistic goals, unencumbered with personal agendas and self-serving politics.
Paul Beckman
Ravensdale
